Reinforcing structure for barricade for box car doors



March 25, 1958 H. E. KEATING EFAL RBINFORCING STRUCTURE FOR BARRICADEFOR BOX CAR DOORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18 ATTORNEYS.

March 25, 1958 H. E. KEATING ETAL REINFORCING STRUCTURE FOR BARRICADEFOR BOX CAR DOORS Filed Agril 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEYS.

2,827,960 Patented Mar. 25, 1958 REINFORCING STRUCTURE FOR BARRICADE FORBOX CAR DOORS Henry E. Keating, Westchester, and John E. Murphy andBernard N. Poss, Aurora, Ill.

Application April 18, 1955, Serial No. 501,976

12 Claims. (Cl. 160-368) The present invention relates to reinforcingstructures for temporary barricades, sometimes referred to as innerdoors, for the door openings of box cars used for handling grain orother bulk commodities.

Such box cars are usually provided with a conventional outer storm dooror weather door, and it has been common practice, for many years, toplace a suitable temporary barricade, or inner door, in position, acrossthe door opening, against the inside face of the door frame, in order toreduce possible loss of contents, such as by leakage from the car, to apractical minimum. Such barricades, or inner doors, are usually ofsubstantial height, and terminate a short distance from the top of thedoor opening so as to permit filling of the car and to afford access tothe interior of the car, above the barricade, for checking, inspectingor sampling the grain or other material in the car.

Such temporary barricades, or inner doors, are of an expendablecharacter, and are usually made up of an assembly of paper board panelsand/or wood boards, secured together as a unit, such as by nailing tothe inside of the door posts, at the sides ofthe door opening. Sometimesthe panels or boards are individually nailed in place so as to build upa closure across the major portion of the height of the door opening.Such inner doors, or barricades are of a temporary nature, because theyare usually destroyed in the process of discharging the contents fromthe car. Because inner doors that are well constructed of materials ofadequate strength, are usually damaged in process of discharging thecontents of a car, or become lost, such as by theft, the more re centpractice employed is to form such temporary barricades or inner doors ofrather inexpensive materials, such as heavy paperboard panels, togetherwith reinforcing materials, such as suitable metal strapping positionedacross the door opening, in front of the paperboard panels, and nailedto the door posts on the inside of the car. To further reinforce suchbarricades, it has been customary to employ a wood pry board across thedoor opening, at the bottom thereof, and also employ a wood board acrossthe door opening, adjacent the upper edge of the barricade. When a caris loaded with grain or other granular bulk material, such barricadesare usually subjected to relatively high pressures from the material inthe car. This condition usually results in the temporary barricadebulging outwardly through the door opening. Sometimes such bulgingresults in rupturing of the barricade, or inner door, in the normalhandling of box cars or freight cars in switchyards or the like.Sometimes the pressure of the material within the car causes thebarricades to bulge into direct contact with the outer storm door orweather door of the car, and thus makes it diflicult for an inspector toopen the storm door in order to obtain access to and sampling of thematerial in the car. Sometimes, in the process of opening the stormdoor, if the barricade is bulged outwardly in contact therewith, thebarricade, or inner door, is ruptured, resulting in a substantial lossof the contents of the car.

Because barricades or inner doors, as now employed, are not ofsufficient strength so as to be capable of withstanding substantialshocks to which cars are normally subjected to, such as occurs in beingshunted in switchyards and the like, substantial loss of the materialfrom the cars frequently occurs. This results in substantial damageclaims being filed against the railroad. It is well known that, inrecent years, such claims have been relatively great and it is thedesire of railroads to take all necessary steps for reducing such claimlosses.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novelconstruction for reinfocring a temporary baricade, or inner door, of arailroad car, to substantially eliminate the possibility of thebarricade, or inner door, being bulged outwardly into direct contactwith the storm door of the car, so as to preclude inadvertent rupture ofthe barricade, and attendant loss of the bulk contents from the car, andwherein said reinforcing may be quickly and easily moved along a track,from a storage position, at one side of the door opening, or to anoperative position in the door opening of the car.

Another object is to provide a novel reinforcement of the characterindicated which is pivotally supported at its upper end on a tracksupported in the upper portion of the box car, and which is constructedand arranged so as to be releasably latched in the door opening of thecar, in an upright position, immediately in front of the barricade, soas to permit inward swinging movement of the reinforcement, whileprecluding outward swinging movement of said reinforcement through thedoor opening.

Still another object is to provide a novel reinforcing construction ofthe character indicated having a reinforcement mounted for slidingmovement on its upper end on an overhead track, for positioning in anupright operative position in the door opening of the car, or in astorage recess adjacent one side of the door frame. and wherein thereinforcement is composed of a pair of telescoping members, toaccommodate variations in the height of door openings of railroad cars,and also for securing the lower end in a latch plate in the bottom ofthe door frame to preclude upward movement of the reinforcement when inoperative position.

A still further object is to provide a novel reinforcing construction ofthe character indicated which is simple, effective in use, and which iscapable of being economically manufactured.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a railroad car,provided with a temporary barricade across the door opening, togetherwith a barricade reinforcing structure embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the interior of therailroad car, provided with the reinforcing structure embodying theinvention and with the reinforcement proper shown disposed in a storageposition. at one side of the door opening.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the reinforcement inprocess of being moved to an operative position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, with the reinforccment shown inan upright operative position in the door opening.

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the interiorof a railroad car, showing the door opening in the side wall thereof,together with the reinforcing construction embodying the presentinvention, with the reinforcement proper disposed in operative relationto a temporary barricade.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through the reinforcement and therailroad car, with the reinforcement in operative position in front of atemporary barricade, and taken substantially as indicated at line 6-6 onFig ure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the main parts of the reinforcingconstruction embodying the prevent invention.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a confining element, adapted to bepositioned in the bottom of the storage recess at one side of the dooropening, for assisting in confining the reinforcement in the recess.

The present invention embodies certain novel and important improvementsin reinforcing structures disclosed in our co-pending application, Scr.No, 448,528, filed Au gust 9, 1954, which became Pat. No. 2,783,5tl8 onMarch 5, 1957.

In the drawings the conventional box car or freight car, shownfragmentarily, is indicated generally at 19, having one of its sidewalls provided with a central door opening 11 surrounded by a frame 12.As seen in the drawings, the frame comprises a pair of spaced-apartupright side posts 14 and 15 connected together by a top frame member16. The bottom of the door opening is defined by the floor of the car,together with a sill IS, in the form of an angle iron surrounding theouter edge of the floor portion of the car, at the door opening, forpurposes of reinforcement and for accommodating wear. Mounted on theexterior of the car is a conventional weather, or storm door 20, adaptedfor normally closing the door opening 11.

When the box ear is to be used for hauling of grain or other granular orbulk materials, the major portion of the door opening, from the bottomup, is closed by a temporary, expendable barricade, or inner door,indicated gen erally at 22. The temporary barricade may be made up ofinexpensive Wood boards, or may be made of a plurality of pieces, or asingle piece of heavy pap-er board. as seen in the drawings.

When the main portion of the barricade is made up of paper board thelower edge thereof terminates in an inwardly extending flange 23 seateddirectly upon the floor of the car, as seen in the drawings, forassisting in precluding inadvertent seepage of grain or other materialout of the car. When the paper board is used for making up the temporarybarricade, there usually is provided a pry board, or timber, indicatedat 24, positioned against the inside of the paper board. adjacent thefloor, and to reinforce the upper edge of the barricade of a suitableboard, or timber, 26, is similarly employed. The panel. or panels ofpaper board, and the timbers, are usually secured to the door frame suchas by nailing to the sides of the door frame. Sometimes, suitable metalstrapping is extended across the door opening, immediately in front ofthe paper board panel, or panels, and is secured to the side posts ofthe door frame, so as to assist in sustaining the pressure of the bulkcontents of the car imposed against the temporary barricade.

The reinforcing structure embodying the present invention includes anupright reinforcement. indicated nenerally at 30, adapted to be placedin operative position in the door opening, prior to the securernent ofthe temporary barricade across the inner face of the door frame. Thereinforcement is composed of two elongated members 31 and 32, whichpreferably, though not necessarily. are formed of tubular metal stock,preferably, but not necessarily rectangular in crosssection, onetelescoped within the other. The two members 31 and 32 areinterconnected so as to permit a limited range of telescopic movement ofone member relatively to the other. For this purpose, the upper memberis provided with a pair of oppositely disposed, upwardly extendingelongated slots 33 through which extends a pin 34 the ends of which arepress fitted in opposite side walls of the lower member 32. The upperend of the reinforcement is pivotally supported, and the lower member 32is telescopically movable, vertically, with respect to the upper member31. Mounted on a headed member, such as a bolt, as in- :ill

dicated at 36, secured in the upper end of the upper member 31 is aclevis 3'7, and the closed loop of the clevis is slidably mounted on anover-head track 39 which is in the form of a rod. The track has a mainportion thereof extending adjacent tbe top of the door opening, in adirection generally lengthwise of the car, merging into a terminalportion, as indicated at 46. The end of the terminal portion is weldedto a mounting bracket 42, secured in any convenient manner, such as byscrews, or by welding. in the upper end of a vertical storage recessindicated at 43, located immediately adjacent the post 14, constitutinga part of the door frame. The storage recess formed in the side wall ofthe car is for accommodating the reinforcement element 30 in anout-of-the-wny inoperative position.

The opposite end of the rod constituting the track 39, extends through,and is welded in a block 44 which is secured intermediate the length ofan angle iron reinforcing frame member 45. The ends of the frame memherare bent downwardly and secured in any convenient manner, to the sidesof the door frame 12 adjacent the top of the door opening, such as byscrews or welding.

By virtue of the over-head track 39, the reinforcement while partiallysupported thereon, may be conveniently moved to and from an operativeposition, or to a storage position in the storage recess 43. As clearlyseen in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the reinforcement, when inoperative position, is disposed intermediate the width of the dooropening, with the rear face thereof positioned substantially in the sameplane as the inner faces of the posts 14 and 15 constituting the sidesof the door frame.

in the construction herein disclosed, it is desirable that thereinforcement, when in an upright operative position, be supported forpivotal movement about an axis extending approximately parallel to themain plane of the door opening. More specifically, it is desired thatthe reinforcement be capable of pivotal swinging movement about itsupper end, so as to permit inward movement of the lower end of thereinforcement through the door opening 11, but precluding outwardmovement thereof through said door opening. To assist in precluding suchoutward movement of the reinforcement. we provide an angle bracket 48,which for convenience, is mounted on one end of the bolt 36, against theouter face of the upper member 31, and the end of the bolt is welded tothe bracket, and the bracket may also, if desired. be welded directly tothe member 31. The angle bracket 48 is so located that when thereinforcement is disposed in an operative position in the door opening,said bracket abuts against the lower edge of the vertical leg of thereinforcing angle frame member 45 as clearly seen in Figure 6 of thedrawings.

The lower end of the reinforcement. when disposed in operative position,is caused to be seated in a latch plate 50 recessed in the sill 18 andfloor of the door opening, as clearly seen in Figures 5 and 6 of thedrawings. The latch plate is preferably a casting, and is secured inposition in any convenient manner, such as screws and/or welding to thesill 18. The latch plate includes a sump or recess 52 having a flatbottom wall portion 53, which continues into a rearwardly and up wardlyinclined portion 54. The rear lower end of the lower member 32 of thereinforcement is cut at an incline, as indicated at 32a, at an anglesubstantially corresponding to the inclined wall 54 of the latch plate.The top of the latch plate is provided with an inwardly extending tongue56 extending over the recess 52 adapted to inter-lock in a slot or notch325 formed in the front face of the lower end of the lower member 32.When the reinforcement is in latching relation to tongue 56 of the latchplate, as seen in Figure 6 of the drawings. the lower member 32 isrestricted against upward as well as outward movement with respect tothe door opening. As above indicated, the reinforcement 33 is placed inoperative upright position in the door opening prior to the mounting ofthe temporary barricade 22, across the inner face of the door frame, andwhen the barricade is in put-in position the lower end of thereinforcement is firmly held in place against movement in alldirections. When the reinforcement is in operative position and thebarricade is in place, and the car is loaded with grain or other bulkmaterial, the lateral outward pressure of the material against thebarricade is transmitted directly to the reinforcement, and thereinforcement provides auxiliary strengthening and reinforcing of thebarricade to withstand the pressure exerted by the bulk material withinthe car.

When the grain cars and the like are positioned for discharging thecontents, such as in an elevator, there is usually suitable unloadingmechanism provided, a portion of which is caused to abut the outer faceof the reinforcement, first moving the lower portion of thereinforcement inwardly a short distance, by upward telescoping movementof the lower member 32, acting camwise against the inclined portion 54,of the latch plate to disengage the reinforcement from the latch plate,and cansing rupturing of the barricade 22. Rupturing of the barricade22, permits the bulk material in the car to flow out of the bottom andsides of the door opening 11. After the initial rupturing of the doorand partial discharging of the contents from the car, the entire car maythen be tilted sidewise against a member on the unloading mechanism, toapproximately 15, during which tilting movement the reinforcement tendsto remain vertical, due to the pivotal support thereof at the upper end.Such tilting of the car in effect causes the lower end of thereinforcement to move into the car, and the unloader mechanism continuesto exert a pressure on the reinforcement for effecting a completerupturing of the barricade, so that the bulk material in the car iscaused to flow freely out of the door opening. Usually, such car dumpingapparatus includes mechanism for tilting the car end-wise for effectingcomplete discharge of all bulk material through the door opening. Itwill be apparent that during the process of rupturing the barricade,when the barricade is made up of paper stock, there will be a normaltendency for the barricade, after being ruptured, to wrap around thereinforcement. This makes it easy to retrieve portions of the barricadefrom the car for disposal and avoids possible jamming or clogging of theapparatus employed for moving the mathe interior of the car.

In order to afford convenient access to the interior of the car, whilethe barricade is in operative position, to permit inspection, testingand sampling of the contents of the car, We provide on the reinforcementa series of vertically spaced apart step members, indicated at 60,arranged in staggered relation so as to perform the function of aladder. Heretofore, it has been necessary for an inspector to provide asuitable ladder for placement against, or hooking over the upper edge ofthe barricade to permit climbing over the barricade to gain access tothe interior of the car.

In the construction herein disclosed, the reinforcement 30 may beconveniently moved bodily to and from an operative position, by reasonof the main support for the upper end of the reinforcement beingprovided for by the track 39. When the reinforcement is to be moved toan inoperative position, in the vertical storage recess 43, suchmovement is easily accomplished because of the sliding support providedby the clevis 37 on the track 39. The lower member 32 of thereinforcement is raised relatively to the member 31, so as to cause theopen lower end of the lower member 32 to seat over a confining member,indicated at 64, mounted on the floor, at the bottom of the recess 43.As shown, the confining member 64 is in the form of an angle clip, whichis secured directly to the floor of the car. When the reinforcement isstored in the recess 43, it is disposed in an out-of-the way position,so as not to interfere in any manner with the normal use of the car.When a temporary barricade is to be employed for closing part of thedoor opening 11, the reinforcement 30 is first moved from the storageposition to an operative position, as shown in Figures 1., 4, 5 and 6 ofthe drawings.

By reason of the telescopic relationship of the two members 31 and 32 ofthe reinforcement, said reinforcement, in addition to adapting itselffor the novel latching and storage arrangement herein shown, alsopermits producing the reinforcement in a size so as to readilyaccommodate and adapt itself for proper use with box cars having theusual range of variable heights of door openings.

It will be apparent that by virtue of the present invention, our novelreinforcing structure greatly reduces possibility of inadvertent ruptureof the temporary barricade, due to excessive load or pressures thereon,or due to the barricade bulging into direct contact with the Weatherdoor and being damaged in process of opening the weather door. It willbe apparent that our novel reinforcing structure is such that whenattached in place in a box car, it becomes a permanent part of the carand cannot be readily disassembled and hence, inadvertent loss or thetheft of parts is reduced to a practical minimum.

Although we have herein shown and described a certain preferredembodiment of our invention, manifestly it is capable of modificationand rearrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scopethereof. We do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting thisinvention to the precise embodiment herein disclosed, except as we maybe so limited by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade, removably mounted against the inner face of the frame, acrossthe door opening, track means 39 fixedly mounted adjacent the top of theinterior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent the topof the door opening and having aportion terminating adjacent one side ofthe door opening, an upright reinforcement, movably supported at itsupper end on said track means and movable to an operative positionintermediate the door opening, forwardly of the plane of the inner faceof the door frame, and means for releasably securing the lower end ofthe reinforcement in the bottom of the door opening to preclude outwardmovement of the reinforcement through the door opening, saidreinforcement being movable along said track means to a storageposition, in close proximity to the side wall of the car, at one side ofthe door opening.

2. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade, removably mounted against the inner face of the frame, acrossthe door opening, track means mounted adjacent the top of the interiorof the car and comprising an elongated portion extending lengthwise ofthe car, one end of said elongated portion being rigidly attached to theinterior of the car, adjacent one side of the door opening, the otherend of said elongated portion being rigidly attached to the interior ofthe car, adjacent the upper end of the door opening, an uprightreinforcement, movably supported at its upper end on said track meansand movable to an operative position intermediate the door opening,forwardly of the plane of the inner face of the door frame, and meansfor releasably securing the lower end of the reinforcement in the bottomof the door opening to preclude outward movement of the reinforcementthrough the door opening, said reinforcement being movable along saidtrack means to a storage position adjacent said one end of the trackmeans, in close proximity to the side wall of the car, at one side ofthe door opening.

3. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the frame, acrossthe door opening, track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top of theinterior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent the topof the door opening and hav ing a portion terminating adjacent one sideof the door opening, an upright reinforcement, movably and pivotallysupported at its upper end on said track means and movable to anoperative position intermediate the door opening, forwardly of the planeof the inner face of the door frame, for swinging movement about an axisparallel to the main plane of the door opening, and means for releasablysecuring the lower end of the reinforcement in the bottom of the dooropening to preclude outward movement of the reinforcement through thedoor opening, said reinforcement being movable along said trac'x meansto a storage position, in close proximity to the side wall a storageposition in the storage recess.

4. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade, removably mounted against the inner face of the frame, acrossthadoor opening, track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top of theinterior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent the topof the door opening and having a portion terminating adjacent one sideof the door opening, an upright reinforcement movably supported at itsupper end on said track means and movable to an opera tive position inthe door opening, forwardly of the plane of the inner face of the doorframe, and means for releasably securing the lower end of thereinforcement in the bottom of the door opening to preclude outwardmovement of the reinforcement through the door opening, the side wall ofthe car being formed to provide an upright storage recess adjacent oneside of the door frame in vertical alignment with said track means, saidreinforcement being movable along said track means to a storage positionin the storage recess.

5. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the frame, acrossthe door opening, track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top of theinterior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent the topof the door opening and having a portion terminating adjacent one sideof the door opening, an upright reinforcement, movably supported at itsupper end on said track means and movable to an operative position inthe door opening, forwardly of the plane of the inner face of the doorframe, means for releasably securing the lower end of the reinforcementin the bottom of the door opening to preclude outward movement of thereinforcement through the door opening, said reinforcement being movablealong said track means to a storage position in close proximity to theside wall of the car, at one side of the door opening, and a series ofstep members connected to and arranged along the length of thereinforcement.

6. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the door frame,across the door opening, track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top ofthe interior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent thetop of the door opening and having a portion terminating adjacent oneside of the door opening. an upright reinforcement, movably andpivotally supported at its upper end on said track means and movable toan operative position intermediate the door opening, forwardly of theplane of the inner face of the door frame, for swinging movement aboutan axis parallel to the main plane of the door opening, saidreinforcement comprising a pair of cooperating, telescopicallyassociated elongated members, and means for releasably securing thelower end of the lower member in the bottom of the door opening, whensaid reinforcement is in operative position, to preclude outwardmovement of the reinforcement through the door opening.

7. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the door frame,across the door opening, track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top ofthe interior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent thetop of the door opening and having a portion terminating adjacent oneside of the door opening, an upright reinforcement, movably andpivotally supported at its upper end on said track means and movable toan operative position in the door opening, forwardly of the plane of theinner face of the door frame, for swinging movement about an axisparallel to the main plane of the door openings, said reinforcementcomprising a pair of cooperating, telscopically associated elongatedmembers, and means for releasably securing the lower end of the lowermember in the bottom of the door opening, when said reinforcement is inoperative position, said means comprising a latch plate carried on thefloor of the car, in said door opening, for receiving the lower end ofthe reinforcement, to preclude outward movement of the reinforcementthrough the door opening, said latch plate having an inwardly andupwardly inclined cam surface and the lower end of the lower memberhaving a cooperating, inclined cam surface, whereby the application ofpressure to the outer face of the reinforcement causes telescopicmovement of the lower member relative to the other member anddisengagement from the latch plate for rupturing the barricade.

8. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the door frame,across the door opening track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top ofthe interior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent thetop of the door opening and having a portion terminating adjacent oneside of the door opening, an upright reinforcement, movably andpivotally supported at its upper end on said track means and movable toan operative position intermediate the door opening, forwardly of theplane of the inner face of the door frame, for swinging movement aboutan axis parallel to the main plane of the door opening, saidreinforcement comprising a pair of cooperating, telescopicallyassociated elongated members, means interconnecting said members forlimiting the extent of telescopic movement relative to each other, andmeans for releasably securing the lower end of the lower member in thebottom of the door opening, when said reinforcement is in operativeposition, to preclude outward movement of the reinforcement through thedoor opening.

9. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the door frame,across the door opening, track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top ofthe interior of the car and comprising a portron extcnding adjacent thetop of the door opening and having a portion terminating adjacent oneside of the door opening, an upright reinforcement, movably andpivotally supported at its upper end on said track means and movable toan operative position in the door opening, forwardly of the plane of theinner face of the door frame, for swinging movement about an axisparallel to the main plane of the door opening, said reinforcmeentcomprising a pair of cooperating, telescopically associated elongatedmembers, means for releasably securing the lower end of the lower memberin the bottom of the door opening, when said reinforcement is inoperative position, said means comprising a latch plate carried on thefloor of the car, in said door opening, for receiving the lower end ofthe reinforcement through the door opening, said latch plate having aninwardly and upwardly inclined earn surface, the lower end of the lowermember having a cooperating, inclined cam surface, whereby theapplication of pressure to the outer face of the reinforcement causestelescopic movement of the lower member relative to the other member anddisengagement from the latch plate for rupturing the barricade, andcooperating features on the latch plate and lower end of the lowermember, adapted when engaged, to preclude upward movement of said lowermember.

10. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the frame, acrossthe door opening, track means mounted adjacent the top of the interiorof the car and comprising an elongated rod extending lengthwise of thecar and having one end rigidly attached to the interior of the car,adjacent one side of the upper end of the door opening, the opposite endof said rod being rigidly attached to the top of the door frameintermediate its width; an upright reinforcement, a clcvis memberconnected to the upper end of the reinforcement, and surrounding saidrod to provide a movable support for the upper end of the reinforcement,said reinforcement being movable to an operative position in the dooropening, forwardly of the plane of the inner face of the door frame, andmeans for releasably securing the lower end of the reinforcement in thebottom of the door opening to preclude outward movement of thereinforcement through the door opening, said reinforcement being movablealong said track means to a storage position adjacent said one end ofthe track means, in close proximity to the side wall of the car, at oneside of the door opening.

11. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the frame, acrossthe door opening, track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top of theinterior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent the topof the door opening and having a portion terminating adjacent one sideof the door opening, an upright reinforcement, movably supported at itsupper end on said track means and movable to an operative position inthe door opening, forwardly of the plane of the inner face of the doorframe, said reinforcement comprising a pair of cooperating telescopicmembers, the lower member being of tubular formation, means forreleasably securing the lower end of the reinforcement in the bottom ofthe door opening to preclude outward movement of the reinforcementthrough the door opening, the side wall of the car being formed toprovide an upright storage recess adjacent one side of the door frame invertical alignment with said track means, said reinforcement beingmovable along said track means to a storage position in the storagerecess, and means in the bottom of the storage recess for receiving thelower end of the lower member for confining the reinforcement in saidrecess.

12. The combination of a box car having a side wall provided with a dooropening defined by a door frame for the reception of an expendablebarricade removably mounted against the inner face of the door frame,across the door opening, track means fixedly mounted adjacent the top ofthe interior of the car and comprising a portion extending adjacent thetop of the door opening and having a portion terminating adjacent oneside of the door opening, an upright reinforcement, movably andpivotally supported at its upper end on said track means and movable toan operative position intermediate the door opening, forwardly of theplane of the inner face of the door frame, for swinging movement aboutan axis parallel to the main plane of the door opening, saidreinforcement comprising a pair of cooperating, telescopicallyassociated elongated members, and abutment means on the upper end of theupper member, adapted when the reinforcement is in an upright, operativeposition to abut against a portion of the door frame to preclude outwardmovement of the reinforcement through the door opening.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,653,453 Flynn Dec. 20, 1927 1,658,442 Jackson Feb. 7, 1928

